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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29711127">After the Turn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackerman_trash/pseuds/ackerman_trash'>ackerman_trash</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore, Hadestown - Mitchell, Hadestown - Mitchell (Broadway) RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Ending, Bittersweet Ending, Depression, F/M, Fluff, Hadestown References, Inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), References to Depression, Reunions, Sad, Sad and Happy, Underworld, finished work, mention of suicide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:47:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,289</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29711127</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackerman_trash/pseuds/ackerman_trash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate ending/epilogue in which Orpheus returns to Hadestown for a second time, this time with different intentions. (Mostly written just to heal my broken heart).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eurydice/Orpheus (Hadestown), Hades/Persephone (Hadestown)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>After the Turn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hades nearly fell out of his chair when he saw him standing there, once again, looking like if he just blew on Orpheus he would fall over and crumple into dust. How he made it back into Hadestown was beyond him, he thought that he had repaired the wall; upped the security. Sure, he had gotten softer on the Workers, a side effect of the remains of Orpheus’ melody refusing to be replaced on that old assembly line, the melody that still rattled in the old man’s head, but he was not about to deal with another love struck rioter. </p><p>But here was Orpheus standing before him, stubborn and delusional, as he had always been. </p><p>Except this wasn’t the Orpheus that had marched into Hadestown with a quiet confidence, a naïve optimism, and a melody to give. </p><p>This wasn’t the Orpheus that went straight for his lover without a second thought about the consequences. </p><p>This wasn’t the Orpheus who had plunged into Hell without a plan or a pattern, guided only by a blinding young love. </p><p>Wasn’t the Orpheus that smiled every time Eurydice looked at him. </p><p>The Orpheus who sang about flowers and Springtime and believed his song could change the world. </p><p>No, this Orpheus was different. </p><p>This Orpheus saw how the world was, <em>and it wrecked him. </em></p><p>He was thinner than before, which was a feat considering how the first time he was merely a toothpick for Hades to break between his fingers. Now he was only skin and bones, and Hades wondered if he had eaten anything since he left Hadestown. He had deep, purple circles under his eyes, his lips drawn out and taunt, his once sun-stained skin was so pale it was almost translucent, and his bright eyes that used to sparkle with creativity and a humble intelligence sat dead in a face pulled tight with a deep, dark sadness. </p><p>It made Hades stomach churn, made him sick to look at the wretched, destroyed boy. </p><p>“Throw him in a cell,” Hades barked at one of the Workers holding the doors open, one of the Workers who had showed Orpheus straight to Hades’ office, per Orpheus’ request, one of the Workers who swallowed hard at the order, a Worker who stood with Orpheus not so long ago, a Worker who believed in him a century ago. </p><p>But Orpheus had failed him, <em>had failed her,</em> and he was still here, way down in Hadestown, so he drew back his shoulders and led Orpheus away before the boy could so much as get a word in with the King of the Underworld. Led Orpheus, who wasn’t fighting or kicking or talking or doing much of anything, deeper underground. </p><p>Hades rubbed his fingers along the bridge of his eyebrows, squeezing his eyes shut with a heavy sigh. </p><p><em>“The Devil take this Orpheus”</em> he had once prayed. </p><p>It seemed like the Devil did. </p><p>“Hermes?” Hades called out, rubbing the exhaustion from his face and looking up at the double doors expectantly. Sure enough, Hermes stepped out from around the corner, his hands in his pockets, his body language relaxed, a stark contrast to the taunt look on his complexion, the new wrinkles that emerged on that ancient, immortal face. Hades nodded to the other Worker, who had been watching the exchange with shock eyes set in a trained emotionless façade. </p><p>“Close the door, and don’t speak to anyone about this,” Hades commanded, and the Worker immediately obeyed. Once the door was closed, Hades turned to Hermes, asking “You’ve been following him this whole time, haven’t you?” </p><p>“I’m never far behind him,” Hermes answered, taking a seat across the deep, red mahogany desk. </p><p>“What is he doing back here? Why did you let him come back here?” Hades sighed, unscrewing a bottle of bourbon and pouring himself a glass. He offered one to Hermes with a tilt of his head, but Hermes just shook his own, folding his fingers gingerly over his vest. </p><p>“I don’t let him do anything Hades, he’s not a child anymore, hasn’t been a child since the moment he saw Eurydice. He can make his own decisions, however stupid they may be.” </p><p>Hades took a sip of his drink, raising an eyebrow, “so you knew he was planning a return trip?”</p><p>Now it was Hermes’ turn to sigh, leaning forward and looking Hades straight in the eye with a stare that gave Hades the impression that the weather-beaten god who was actually<em> younger</em> than him had seen more and understood more and could see right into his soul. </p><p>“Hades, that decision he made, when he turned around… it destroyed him. <em>Destroyed him.</em> I practically had to carry him back to my place on the Overworld, but he didn’t stay there long. He went back to where he and Eurydice had lived and he took everything she left behind, which wasn’t much, and asked me to hide it from him, because he couldn’t bring himself to destroy it. That was the last thing he said to me for a very long time. He wouldn’t eat, he wouldn’t go outside, he would cry himself into a nightmarish sleep every night. </p><p>“When he took his lyre and beat it so hard against a tree that he cut his knuckles open, my worry turned into fear. I watched him almost constantly, so afraid that he would… that he would try to… hurt himself in some way.”</p><p>Hades stomach dropped at those words. Orpheus was a thorn in his side, an annoyance and a pain in his back, but this? This is what became of the boy with a voice so beautiful he remembered who he was? Remembered Persephone? A voice that brought him to tears and made him dance for the first time in over a millennia? </p><p>“And then one day something changed in him, something came over his countenance, a look was written on his face that scared me,” Hermes continued. “He came and found me, and the first thing he said to me in over a year was </p><p>
  <em>‘Give me a ticket back to Hadestown.’ </em>
</p><p>Now you and I both know that I don’t have that power. I collect them, but you give them out,” </p><p>Hades nodded in agreement as Hermes continued with, “But the boy begged me for a used one. Hades he wasn’t going to try to walk it again, he was going to try to take the train. He wasn’t trying to sneak up on you, try to steal Eurydice away, he was just trying to get here. That’s it. I don’t think he plans on leaving.” </p><p>The knot in the pit of Hades’ chest tightened, <em>Orpheus? Stay here? </em></p><p>“And you gave him this ticket?” Hades asked, hands now clenched into a fist. </p><p>“No. I begged him not to return. I practically smothered him with pleas not to do something rash and stupid. So he walked. He walked that whole thing again. I don’t know how he survived it.” </p><p>There was a silence sitting between them as Hades downed the rest of his drink and Hermes blinked back a few tears. </p><p>“You followed him the whole time?” Hades finally asked, a quiet bite behind his voice.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Does Eurydice know?”</p><p>“No.” </p><p>Hades drew his head back, “He didn’t go to her first?”</p><p>“No, he went straight up to the first Worker he saw and asked to see you.” </p><p>Hades nodded, trying to process that action, marveling at the self-control that must of taken him. </p><p>The stubborn boy. </p><p>“What does he want?” </p><p>“I don’t know,” Hermes answered, throwing his palms up. </p><p>“You don’t know?” Hades clarified, raising his eyebrows up at the messenger god who usually knew everything.</p><p>“This is uncharted territory Hades, I don’t know what will happen next in this story,” after a short pause of the two gods just silently staring and trying to make since of the situation, Hermes asked, “how is she?”</p><p>“How is who?”</p><p>“Eurydice” </p><p>“Oh she’s…. She’s better than Orpheus. The work keeps her distracted I think, but she doesn’t speak, and after a while she just faded into the rest of the Workers, I have a hard time picking her out of a crowd now.” </p><p>Hermes nodded slowly, standing up and returning his hands to his pockets. </p><p>“I’m going to sit with Orpheus.”</p><p>“You won’t free him?”</p><p>“As much as I want to Hades he’s in your Underworld now, and apparently this is what he wants. But Hades?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Please, don’t hurt him.” </p><p>
  <em>“Since I’m gonna count to three and put you out of my misery, before I send you to the great beyond where nobody can hear your singing.”</em>
</p><p>Those old threats sang between Hades’ ears as he answered Hermes with “I’ll do my best.” </p><p>Hades looked at the clock on the wall and nearly jumped at the time as Hermes left his office, his palms began to sweat as he pulled his coat over his broad shoulders and put on his sunglasses, the sun’s rays were always too intense for his eyes that were so used to the darkness of the Underworld. </p><p>
  <em>Of all the days for Orpheus to come back, he just had to come today didn’t he? </em>
</p><p>Still, he couldn’t quiet down the anticipation rising in his chest. It still took everything in him not to come and get Persephone early, but this was the day, the day they had agreed on thousands of years ago, the second Spring and Summer and Fall since Orpheus’ descent had come and gone and Persephone was coming home today. </p><p>Maybe Persephone would know what to do with him, she understood the mortals better than Hades did anyway. </p><p>
  <em>Did she know? Did she know how badly Orpheus had been doing?</em>
</p><p>He knew that Persephone and Eurydice spent time together, that she was the one that comforted her in the long minutes and hours and days after that walk, but was Persephone doing the same for Orpheus? </p><p>He assumed so, maybe she did? But Persephone loved her time in the Overworld, would she really spend time checking on a boy who had the life sucked out of him? </p><p>But she was so fond of him before…</p><p>Hades turned it over and over again in his mind as the train shot through the underground, Hades gazing out of the window at the dark tunnel, at the spaced out lighting, at the stray hound dogs that would devour anything that crossed their path, just waiting for their next meal. </p><p>The train track was miles long, miles long in the cold and dark…</p><p>And Orpheus had walked it for a third time. </p><p>And no matter what happened next, Hades was going to make sure that it was the last. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The train pulled into the station as Persephone sat on a nearby bench, playing with the hem of her skirt and lightly tapping her foot against her suitcase. </p><p>She actually didn’t dread returning to Hadestown anymore, she was here, on time, on the pre-appointed date, and Hades showed up, on time, on the pre-appointed date. </p><p>Since Orpheus’ song, Hades had let Persephone have a heavier hand in what went down in the lives of the Workers in Hadestown. They had every Saturday off, and she would just hang out with them, have a few drinks- although Persephone stayed sober the rest of the week. The Workers operated in shifts now, rotating jobs, rotating positions, getting at least four hours of downtime every day. </p><p>Hades still had them work on that wall, if only to maintain the balance between the Underworld and the Overworld. If every love struck fool wanted to try to mimic Orpheus it would be chaos. </p><p>And there were still new souls being added to Hadestown, following the dollar way down and away from the poor house door, and they were still greeted with hard labor and strict rules. But now the Workers had built a community, and they were very slowly becoming a family. </p><p>Orpheus was a catalyst in their lives. They still remembered him. Remembered the way they had rallied around him. Although he had ultimately failed them, they admired that he had least tried. </p><p>Orpheus had reminded them what it like to be a person, instead of just a cog in a machine, and the memory of being an individual stuck with them. </p><p>They passed on his story like he was a legend, and Orpheus name was always in the back of every Workers mind. </p><p>A brief thought went through Persephone’s mind as the train pulled into the station, a thought for Orpheus, wondering how he had been doing the past year and a half since that fateful walk. </p><p>Persephone had been the one to help Eurydice back to Hadestown and she remembered her stunned silence. She expected her to sob, or scream, or try to turn around and go back, but Eurydice knew the terms of their deal with Hades, knew there was no getting out of it. </p><p>She just walked in complete silence. She didn’t speak for weeks, and when she did she only spoke when addressed. Persephone checked on her as often as she could, but Eurydice just went inward. It was hard to get a reading on how good or bad she was doing when she set her face in stone. </p><p>Persephone pushed that memory from her mind’s eye as the doors to the train rolled open and her husband stepped outside. </p><p>She went over the proposal in her head; she wanted to convince Hades of a new moral-boosting program she wanted to try. A field trip, maybe once a month or so, it didn’t even have to be to the Overworld. Maybe she could show them parts of Olympus, or her Mother’s garden, something to get them out of that factory and refresh them. </p><p>She knew that it would take a considerable amount of convincing on her part, and she had ideas of course. Ever since Orpheus her relationship with Hades had gotten better in more than ways than one…</p><p>“Persephone,” Hades breathed, pulling her into an embrace while kissing her forehead, “how was Summer?”</p><p>“Wonderful, as it always is,” She answered as he picked up her luggage and guided her into the train. “How’s Hadestown?”</p><p>“Oh well you know… there’s been a few…. Complications.” </p><p>“Complications?” </p><p>Hades nodded, and Persephone noticed how tight his lips were drawn, how rigid his movements were, how is eyebrows where pursed together, her husbands’ mind lost in deep thought. </p><p>She took a seat across from him, taking his hand, “Hades, what happened? What’s wrong? </p><p>“It’s… Orpheus.” </p><p>“Orpheus?” <em>Had she heard him right? </em></p><p>“Persephone,” he began, looking up at her from beneath his shades, “did you ever… check on him? After?”</p><p>“I mean, he never returned to work, and that’s where I knew him from, this bar on the Road to Hell. I didn’t ever know where he lived or anything like that. I never even saw Hermes anymore. I wanted to see him but I thought that seeing me would just remind him of Eurydice, so I figured that he just needed some space… why has something happened to him?” </p><p>“He came back.”</p><p>Persephone nearly fainted. “He did<em> what?”</em></p><p>Hades merely nodded slowly, running his hands through his hair. </p><p>“How?”</p><p>“Apparently he walked again.”</p><p>“How’d he get beyond the wall?”</p><p>“I don’t know.” </p><p>Persephone sighed, sinking into her seat. After a long pause, she asked, “what are you going to do?”</p><p>“I don’t know, I thought you would know.”</p><p>“Why would you think I would know?”</p><p>“I don’t know Persephone, you know him better than I do.” </p><p>“Not much better,” but when Hades just continued to stare at Persephone, and Persephone began to realize that he really didn’t have any idea what to do, she started to riff on some ideas. </p><p>“Well, what do you think he wants?”</p><p>“If I had to take a wild guess it’s probably to be with Eurydice, or at least see her.”</p><p>“Well if you let him see her and then take her away from him again it will probably just make things worse. You can’t let Eurydice go…”</p><p>“I didn’t think you would take that position-”</p><p>“Eurydice is locked into two separate deals that keep her in Hadestown, it would be too complicated to let her go now.”</p><p>“Right…”</p><p>“So you have two choices. Let him stay or make him leave. If you make him leave it will probably unravel him, and who’s to say he won’t try again. But Orpheus is legend to the Workers now, if you let him stay…. I would like it if you let him stay, but you have to take into account that it might ensue another riot, which might make things more exciting around here.”</p><p>“I don’t know about that…”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“He’s different Persephone, he’s… weaker.”</p><p>Persephone swallowed, something in her told her that she would rather not see Orpheus in the state he’s in- if it makes Hades pause it must be bad. </p><p>“Does Eurydice know?” She asked quietly, rubbing her thumb up and down Hades’ obsidian wedding ring.</p><p>“No, I don’t think so, but the walls-”</p><p>“They have ears,” Persephone sighed. “You have to think about what’s best for Eurydice Hades. If you think that she will receive him-”</p><p>“Why wouldn’t she-”</p><p>“He failed her. I have no idea how she feels about everything that’s happened, how she feels about Orpheus.” </p><p>“So what do you think we should do?” </p><p>Persephone bit her lip, squeezing Hades’ hand, “I think we should discuss this with Orpheus.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Orpheus wasn’t thinking. He learned that it was easier not to think. Because when he thought his thoughts usually circled back to Eurydice. And when he thought of Eurydice there was only one image that burned a hole into his mind. </p><p>At least once a day the branding of her face when he turned around attacked his mind, so he tried to stay empty. </p><p>He tried to just survive through the day.</p><p>The cell was dark, and wet, and cold. Hermes sat on the other side of the bars, and he didn’t try to say anything, which Orpheus appreciated. Instead he just took his hand, and that was enough comfort for Orpheus in the moment. </p><p>He just couldn’t believe that he was back here. </p><p>He had walked in a sort of trance, only one thing,<em> one person</em>, pulling him there. </p><p>A Worker turned the corner, the same one that had showed him there. Orpheus had recognized him, one of the many, <em>many</em> faces that he would never forget. One of the many people that he had failed. </p><p>He opened the door and pulled Orpheus’ to his feet. He didn’t need to put handcuffs on him, or pull him along in any way, he knew Orpheus would follow him, what choice did he have?</p><p>He never had to go outside of the building that Hades and Persephone lived and offices in, a building he never set foot in the first time, but nevertheless he peered out of every window and around every corner, his heart aching for a glimpse of her. </p><p>They came upon a different set of double doors than the one before, and they opened to reveal a… a living room? Couches and chairs, all comfortable and homey, set in rusty earth tones. Persephone and Hades sat next to each other on a couch, both looking adequately nervous. The Worker leading Orpheus into the room gaped at the setting he had definitely never seen before. </p><p>At the sight of Orpheus Persephone immediately sprang up and pulled him in for a hug. After a second of confusion Orpheus returned the embrace, hugging the woman of springtime and flowers, the woman who he used to wait in anticipation for, when now he didn’t even notice the seasons change. </p><p>“I’m so sorry I didn’t look for you,” She whispered in his ear as she pulled away. Orpheus nodded, drawing his eyes up to Hades, who sat there with his back as rigid as humanly- or godly- possible. </p><p>“Take a seat Orpheus, you can as well if you want Hermes, it’s up to you,” Hades said, gesturing to the arm chairs sitting directly across from the couch. </p><p>Orpheus turned to look at Hermes, who gave him an encouraging nod, so Orpheus took a seat, perching on the edge and wringing his hands together. Hermes took a seat to Orpheus’ right, and the Worker excused himself. </p><p>“Orpheus…” Hades began, glaring at the boy. Hades’ stare never failed to make Orpheus feel like he was shrinking, “do you enjoy putting me in awkward positions?” </p><p>Persephone tightly smiled, and Orpheus’ palms began to sweat. </p><p>“Orpheus,” Persephone started as well, her rough voice much softer, “we wanted to be honest with you, and we ask that you be honest with us? Is that okay?”</p><p>“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child,” Orpheus responded, the palms of his knuckles white. Everyone else in the room drew back, shocked at the quick and calloused retort Orpheus gave Persephone, Hermes looked like he wanted to smack him. </p><p>“Well… okay then Orpheus…” Persephone stammered until Hades interrupted her with </p><p>“What exactly do you want Orpheus? Why did you come back here?” </p><p>Orpheus’ mouth went dry as Hades, Persephone, and Hermes turned to look at him, the six immortal eyes boring into his soul.</p><p>“I- I want to be with Eurydice.”</p><p>“You forfeited that right when you turned around,” Hades responded coolly, sitting back on the couch. </p><p>Orpheus’ stomach went cold. </p><p>“Yes, I know-” Orpheus tried to begin, but was quickly cut off by Hades’ stony voice, </p><p>“I gave you mercy. I gave you a chance, a choice; to leave with her. You elected to disobey me, like you are now-.” </p><p>“I thought it was a trick…”</p><p>“You doubted-”</p><p>“In all fairness Hades I think you knew that he would doubt,” Hermes said, crossing one leg over the other. Hades gave Hermes and Orpheus a hard look. </p><p>“It was a test Orpheus. To see if you were actually a stronger man than me. I gave you that trial because I know that if I was in your skin I would have done the same.” </p><p>Persephone’s eyes shot up to Hades’, who was still staring down Orpheus with disappointment welling in his eyes. Orpheus bent his head down low, unable to meet the King’s gaze. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” he breathed, doing his best not to cry in front of the King. </p><p>“Hades,” Persephone softened, taking her husband’s hand in hers, “if you knew that you would have turned too, wouldn’t you be where he is now? If it were me?”</p><p>Hades met his wife’s gaze, stroking a thumb down where one tear had fallen down her left cheek.</p><p>“Orpheus,” he sighed, turning back to look at the broken boy. “You are an abrasive paradox of a man. But I don’t want to hurt you… you hurt yourself by turning around.”</p><p>“You could’ve just let us leave,” He muttered, still not bringing his own eyes’ to Hades’. </p><p>“No I couldn’t of. It would’ve made me look like a spineless king. I have a kingdom to run Orpheus, a kingdom that’s much bigger than you and your lover, however sorry you are.” </p><p>A thought ran through Persephone’s mind when he said that, <em>“What does he care for the logic of kings?” </em>and by the look on Hades’ face, she could tell that he thought it too. </p><p>“Then what?” Orpheus finally conceded, looking up at the King and Queen. “Then what? I can’t live without her Hades. She’s…. She’s everything to me. I’m not strong enough without her. I know she is. I know she’s probably fine. But… But I’m not. If I can’t stay with her  then at least me see her, I just… I just want to tell her that I love her and I’m so, so sorry.” </p><p>Hades’ heart twisted. This boy continued to make him grow softer and softer with every passing minute he spent with him. “I can’t let you take her back Orpheus, even if I wanted to, even if she wanted to. She’s locked into the original deal with me, and the deal the two of you made with me when you left. She’s so tied up in Hadestown she’s unabashedly a part of it now.” </p><p>“I didn’t think that you would let her go,”</p><p>“Then what did you think?”</p><p>“That you would let me stay.” </p><p>Persephone’s hand tightened around Hades’ as the King sucked in a breath, while Hermes’ well controlled face was suddenly stricken with a deep sadness. </p><p>“Orpheus. I don’t know what you’ve heard, and yes Hadestown has gotten better, Persephone has made some wonderful improvements,” Hades warned while Persephone bit back a tight small, her heart doing a cartwheel at the praise, “but it’s still hard labor. It’s still rough. You don’t strike me as someone who wants to cart coal around for the rest of their life. Your an artist Orpheus, you belong out in the sun, not down here.”  </p><p>“I’m not an artist anymore,” Orpheus corrected, sitting so far on the edge of his seat it looked like he was going to fall off, “and I don’t care what you make me do as long as I’m with Eurydice.” </p><p>“There’s another thing to consider,” Persephone added, giving Orpheus the kindest look she could muster. “You will forget everything from before you sign the deal. You probably won’t forget your name, because everyone here knows your name, but… you’ll forget your first trip to Hadestown. You’ll forget your song, the one you sang to Hades and I. You’ll forget the first time you met Eurydice, as well as your childhood. You will forget how to play the lyre. You will forget that final walk with Eurydice.” </p><p>For a moment, that didn’t sound too bad to Orpheus. To forget that beautifully twisted tear-stained face he saw the moment he turned around… but Persephone continued- </p><p>“But Eurydice. She won’t. She signed her deal before those events. I’ve spoken to her Orpheus, not about this, she doesn’t know your here, but she confided in me that she can’t remember what it was like to live with you. She has flashes, dream-like muddied memories ,but the only reason she knows that you did was because the two of you talked about it when you were here. But the entire saga that took place while you were in Hadestown- that she remembers. She remembers that you came for her, that you fought for her, that you sang for her… and she remembers that you failed her. She will always remember what your face looked like when you turned around. She will always remember the walk back to Hadestown without you to hold her. She was always remember having to return to work after her hopes were crushed. Orpheus… you’ll forget that pain, but it’s almost all she remembers of you. So I don’t know… I don’t know what will happen to the two of you. I don’t know if she… if she wants to see you.” </p><p>Orpheus’ whole body went numb. The thought that Eurydice might not want to see him? That never once crossed his mind… did she… did she resent him? For turning around? </p><p>Did he wreck her as badly as he had wrecked himself? </p><p>But….</p><p>“Orpheus?” Hermes said, placing a ginger hand on his shoulder. “What are you thinking?” </p><p>“I- can I ask her?”</p><p>“No,” Persephone answered quickly, her tone dripping with the voice of a mother. </p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“Because I don’t want to hurt her more than we need to. If she doesn’t want to see you then I don’t want to put her through that. But if she does and you don’t stay… better to keep this from her unless you decide to stay.”</p><p>“Unless I decide to stay? I thought this was Hades’ decision?”  </p><p>Hades slowly rose from his seat and opened a drawer to a filing cabinet, laying forgotten in the corner. He pulled out a piece of paper and a heavy, ebony fountain pin. The King gently placed it on the coffee table in front of Orpheus, carefully laying the pen on top of the document. </p><p>The whole atmosphere in the room became thick and heavy, and Hermes began to sweat. </p><p>Looking at the deal, Orpheus could see how Eurydice could’ve been sucked into Hadestown. The font was tiny, so much detail on one slip of paper all in confusing legal jargon. Orpheus was a poet, Eurydice only read when she needed to, and this deal made Orpheus’ feel like he was swimming in a river of words and commas and chains. </p><p>“It’s up to you Orpheus. If you leave, your going back to whatever you were doing beforehand, and from the look of you it was terrible,” Hades explained. “Or you can stay here, and you will be miserable <em>with</em> Eurydice. But I have a couple of conditions- this deal is specific to you, I drafted some new demands on the train.”</p><p>“He did it took him the whole ride,” Persephone added. </p><p>“What are they?” Orpheus asked, stealing a nervous glance at Hermes. </p><p>“Your not allowed to start a riot-”</p><p>“I never intended to start a riot the last time-”</p><p>“You sang a whole song that turned everyone against Hades Orpheus!” Persephone interjected with a laugh. </p><p>“I didn’t mean- I mean- you forced my hand. I just wanted to bring Eurydice home.” </p><p>“Nevertheless Orpheus,” Hades continued. “Your legend to the Workers here now-”</p><p>“I am?” the boy clarified, blinking in surprise. </p><p>“You came and defied the King of the Underworld- that alone is legendary,” Hermes explained while Orpheus looked like he was trying to cower from the words. He wasn’t stage fright, never had been, never really shied away from attention, but to be a legend? That was something different all together.</p><p>“That being said Orpheus, Persephone and I are working to make Hadestown better, doesn’t mean that the work stops though- I won’t lose my whole work force just because you feel like singing. You can be friendly to the workers but I don’t want to see you take any leadership positions, and you must comply to my will.” </p><p>“What if your will is… unsatisfactory?” </p><p>“Just appease the man right now Orpheus,” Hermes whispered in the boy’s ear while Hades simmered from across the coffee table. Orpheus nodded. </p><p>“Basically follow the rules, and if you must sing, don’t sing rebel songs. Sing a nice song about flowers or something to boost morale, don’t question the meaning of truth okay?” </p><p>“Okay- although I don’t think you need to worry, I haven’t been singing much lately.” </p><p>Hades and Orpheus stared each other down, Orpheus tapping his right heel against the hard wood flooring.  </p><p>“So…” the boy began, glancing at the deal, “those are the rules that took the whole train ride?”</p><p>“Just sign the deal or leave Orpheus,” Hades snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. </p><p>Orpheus bit his lip. </p><p>There was always the chance that Eurydice would reject him. </p><p>But there was that chance the first time he asked her to come home with him. </p><p>And he loved her. Even if she stopped loving him he loved her. Even if she hated him he would love her. Even if she fought him he would love her. </p><p>No matter how the wind blew, he wanted to be with her. </p><p>So he picked up that pen and it bled red ink. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Eurydice was on her break, sitting on a pile of bricks and eating a sandwich with some of the other Workers. She was the only one with a name down there, everyone remembering it because… because of past events… but that made her feel elitist so she used it as little as she could. </p><p>Her hair had grown out in the…. In the past year? She had been down there. With every passing day it was getting harder and harder to remember how time worked, to figure out how long she had been there. But her dark hair was now pulled into a tight french braid, and strands of it kept falling in her face. </p><p>She had built friends down there, people who knew Orpheus, had stood with him. She didn’t talk about Orpheus much, but sometimes she caught pieces of hushed conversation, rumors and wonderings about how he was doing now. Today there was a fib running around that Orpheus had been seen walking down the railroad track, but she knew better than to believe wild gossip. </p><p>She tried not to think of him. She knew Orpheus. Knew how much his mistake must surely be costing him. </p><p>And yes, his mistake hurt her. It hurt her <em>so much.</em> But over the course of the year she had come to understand it. </p><p>She had doubted him in life, and he doubted her in death, and so it seemed only fitting that he made the same mistakes she did.</p><p>Not that she didn’t make that walk every night in her nightmares. </p><p>And every night he turned around. </p><p>She sighed and returned to eating her sandwich, listening to the other Workers mindlessly talk about how Persephone was returning today. </p><p>Eurydice was excited to see her of course, but she was nervous that Persephone would want to talk about Orpheus, and she really didn’t feel like working through her emotional trauma today.</p><p>Eurydice was lost in thought as the Workers suddenly hushed, the whole of the Underworld shutting their mouths and looking up. </p><p>“Eurydice,” One of the Workers breathed, placing a hand on her shoulder. </p><p>She looked up and her heart jumped into her throat and stayed there, twisting and convulsing in a mixture of heartbreak and hope. </p><p>She didn’t recognize him at first. He was so much thinner, so much more fragile and pale. When he used to walk like his feet barely touched the ground, now he looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.</p><p>And he was wearing that leather overall uniform, and just looking at that made her stomach drop. </p><p>Walking between Persephone and Hermes, he took off running as soon as he saw her, even with her hair longer and her uniform faded into the dusty look that all the Workers had, he knew Eurydice, he <em>saw </em>Eurydice. He would know that face anywhere. </p><p>The Workers parted as Eurydice sprinted and jumped into his arms, almost knocking him over, tears running down her cheeks. </p><p>They held each other like they were afraid that if they let go, the other one would blow away. Eurydice dug her face into the nape of his neck, stifling her sobs against his skin, while Orpheus’ tears ran silently down his face while he tangled his hand in her hair, shutting his eyes tight. </p><p>Persephone was laughing joyously at the exchange, shooting a huge grin at Hades, who was lingering out of site in the shadows, his own tears welling up in his eyes. </p><p>Hermes gave a melancholic smile, patted Persephone on the back, and turned to leave. </p><p>He didn’t need to follow Orpheus anymore. </p><p>“How-how did you get here? On a train?” Eurydice finally asked, pulling away from him just long enough to speak. </p><p>“No I walked, and a long way,” he repeated, holding her face in his hands and soaking up the gorgeous image of the girl he loved. </p><p>“How’d you get beyond the wall?”</p><p>“The stones remembered my song, and when they heard what had happened, the stones wept and they let me in.” </p><p>“Why- why are dressed like that?” She asked, taking fistfuls of the fabric on Orpheus and balling it up in her fists. </p><p>“I’m here to stay.” </p><p>“Why?” She asked again whilst she kissed the tears from his cheeks. </p><p>“I can’t take you home, that much has been made clear. But I would rather be dead and be with you then alive and alone. So I signed the deal with Hades, and I’ll do whatever work needs to be done, as long as I can be with you.” </p><p><em>“Oh Orpheus,”</em> She breathed, at a complete loss for words, unable to get a grip on her tears, “I thought I was never going to see you again.” </p><p>“Eurydice?” He asked, his voice breaking on the word. “You don’t- you don’t resent me?”</p><p>She pulled away to look into his eyes, seeing the brokenness there, the hurt that he would ever have to ask that. “Of course not. I would be lying to say that I wasn’t angry at first but… but I made the decision to come down here in the first place so… it’s my-” </p><p>But before she could finish her sentence Orpheus had drawn her into for a long overdue kiss, one that seemed to fill every desire the two of them had for each other, one that tasted like ash and salt and everything good in the world. </p><p>“Won’t you forget?” Eurydice asked, pulling away. “Won’t you forget everything from before?”</p><p>“Yes, Persephone explained to me but… the way I see it… it gives me the opportunity to fall in love with you all over again. I also doubt you or any of the Workers would let me forget anyhow.” </p><p>Eurydice smiled and turned around to see the teary eyed audience that had gathered behind her. She took Orpheus’ hand and led him into the group of Workers, introducing them by the nicknames she had given them, most of them he recognized. </p><p>They embraced Orpheus like a prodigal brother, even if he was stuck with them forever. Orpheus, who had given them hope when they had none, had returned.</p><p>And no matter what weather came their way, Orpheus and Eurydice were going to make Hadestown home.</p>
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